Regeneration eBook

The class of people who frequent this Home is a very
low one; for the most part they are drunkards.
They must leave the Shelter before ten o’clock
in the morning, when the majority of them go out hawking,
selling laces, or other odds and ends. Some of
them earn as much as 2_s_. a day; but, as a rule,
they spend a good deal of what they earn, only saving
enough to pay for their night’s lodging.
This place has been open for sixteen years, and contains
133 beds, which are almost always full.

The women whom I saw at this Shelter were a very rough-looking
set, nearly all elderly, and, as their filthy garments
and marred countenances showed, often the victims
of drink. Still, they have good in them, for
the lady in charge assured me that they are generous
to each other. If one of the company has nothing
they will collect the price of her bed or her food
between them, and even pay her debts, if these are
not too large. There were several children in
the place, for each woman is allowed to bring in one.
When I was there many of the inmates were cooking
their meals on the common stove, and very curious
and unappetizing these were.

Among them I noted a dark-eyed lassie of about sixteen
who was crying. Drawing her aside, I questioned
her. It seemed that her father, a drunken fellow,
had turned her out of her home that afternoon because
she had forgotten to give him a message. Having
nowhere to go she wandered about the streets until
she met a woman who told her of this Lodging-house.
She added, touchingly enough, that it was not her
mother’s fault.

Imagine a girl of sixteen thrown out to spend the
night upon the streets of Glasgow!

On the walls of one of the rooms I saw a notice that
read oddly in a Shelter for women. It ran:—­

Smoking is strictly prohibited after retiring.

THE LAND AND INDUSTRIAL COLONY

HADLEIGH, ESSEX

The Hadleigh Colony, of which Lieut.-Colonel Laurie
is the Officer in charge, is an estate of about 3,000
acres which was purchased by the Salvation Army in
the year 1891 at a cost of about L20 the acre, the
land being stiff clay of the usual Essex type.
As it has chanced, owing to the amount of building
which is going on in the neighbourhood of Southend,
and to its proximity to London, that is within forty
miles, the investment has proved a very good one.
I imagine that if ever it should come to the hammer
the Hadleigh Colony would fetch a great deal more
than L20 the acre, independently of its cultural improvements.
These, of course, are very great. For instance,
more than 100 acres are now planted with fruit-trees
in full bearing. Also, there are brickfields
which are furnished with the best machinery and plant,
ranges of tomato and salad houses, and a large French
garden where early vegetables are grown for market.
A portion of the land, however, still remains in the
hands of tenants, with whom the Army does not like
to interfere.